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Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Parent groups sue Colorado officials over transgender rights expansion of anti-discrimination law
Rep. Lorena Garcia speaks on the Colorado House floor during the last day of the 2025 legislative session, May 7, 2025 at the Colorado Capitol. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) A coalition of groups that reject transgender rights sued Colorado officials Monday over a newly signed law that put protections for transgender people, and how they are addressed, into Colorado's anti-discrimination law. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Colorado, alleges that House Bill 25-1312 violates the First and 14th Amendments . 'The purpose of H.B. 25-1312 is clear. The law punishes those who refuse to speak using chosen names and pronouns, and it does so in order to suppress traditional beliefs about sex and gender. In other words, the law openly discriminates based on viewpoint,' lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The lawsuit was brought by the Virginia-based conservative group Defending Education, the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network, Protect Kids Colorado, a health group called Do No Harm, and Grand Junction dermatologist Dr. Travis Morrell. CPAN and PKC are both parental-rights groups that advocate against 'gender ideology' topics in schools, often from a far-right perspective. It names Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, and the members of Colorado's Civil Rights Division as defendants. HB-1312, also known as the Kelly Loving Act after a transgender woman who died in the 2022 Club Q shooting, expands Colorado's anti-discrimination laws to include a person's chosen name and pronouns. Those laws apply to workplaces, schools and other places of public accommodation. The law also includes provisions to make it easier for transgender people to change their name and gender markers on birth certificates, drivers licenses and marriage documents. It was sponsored by Rep. Lorena Garcia of Adams County, Rep. Rebekah Stewart of Lakewood, Sen. Faith Winter of Broomfield and Sen. Chris Kolker of Centennial. It passed with entirely Democratic support, and Gov. Jared Polis signed it on May 16. The bill was amended to remove several controversial provisions during the legislative process and faced stiff opposition from Republicans and conservative groups, including the parties in the new lawsuit. They allege in the filing that the law could impact their ability to hold public advocacy events, publish materials and do other work. CPAN and PKC use 'biologically accurate pronouns and birth names' for transgender people, a practice also known as misgendering and deadnaming. The groups worry that continuing to use those names and pronouns will result in an investigation from the state's civil rights commission and individual lawsuits. They argue that recent legal decisions — including 303 Creative v. Elenis, where a Colorado website designer did not want to create a hypothetical website for a gay couple — support the claim that HB-1312 unconstitutionally compels speech, in this case forcing them to refer to a transgender person by their name. The lawsuit repeatedly misgenders and deadnames state Rep. Brianna Titone, former state legislative candidate Vivian Smotherman and transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. 'When CPAN and (Executive Director) Ms. Gimelshteyn use birth names and biologically accurate pronouns, they are not doing so to be malicious or hurtful. They do so because this expression reflects their deeply held beliefs that sex is fixed in each person from the moment of conception and cannot be changed,' the lawsuit says. If they cannot use that language, their impact will be 'greatly diminished.' Morrell, the dermatologist, contended in the lawsuit that using someone's 'biological pronouns' is necessary for clear communication, as a person's sex assigned at birth could be important when determining proper treatment. Representatives from the Colorado Civil Rights Division and the attorney general's office were unable to comment on the litigation. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These bills on education passed the Colorado Legislature in 2025
Thousands attended a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) The Colorado Legislature passed dozens of bills making changes to K-12 education in the state this year. Some bills add new requirements for school districts and their policies while others relate to curriculum requirements for students. Lawmakers also approved a new school finance policy that extends the implementation of a new school finance formula approved last year amid budget shortfalls. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has signed a few education measures from the legislative session into law already while several others await his signature. The 2025 session ended last week. Here are some other bills that came from the Legislature's work on education. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX House Bill 25-1192 requires that school districts implement a financial literacy course as a graduation requirement for high school students. Public high school students would need to pass a financial literacy class in their junior or senior year under the requirements of the bill. Colorado law currently encourages school districts to require financial literacy coursework for graduation, and about one-quarter of districts do so, according to the Colorado Department of Education. The bipartisan measure would apply starting with students who are in the ninth grade starting in September 2026. The class would need to cover the standards adopted by the State Board of Education in 2022, which include topics like household budgeting, saving, investing, using credit, and understanding the difference between leasing and buying large purchases like cars and homes. The bill would also make completion of the federal or state financial aid form a condition for graduation. Students and parents would be able to opt out of that requirement. Polis has not yet taken action on the bill. House BIll 25-1149 directs the Colorado Department of Education to establish a 17-member advisory committee to help develop statewide K-12 curriculum on Black history and cultural studies. The curriculum should represent 'Black historical experiences through truthful, inclusive, complex narratives that connect with contemporary realities' and highlight 'innovations and cultural contributions of Black people in Colorado, America, and the world,' the bill says. Implementing a standardized Black history curriculum in our public schools ensures that students of all races and backgrounds receive a more complete education that prepares them to be informed, engaged citizens and honors the extensive contributions of Black Americans in shaping our state and nation. – Sen. Tony Exum The Trump administration has targeted DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — initiatives particularly in educational institutions. 'Implementing a standardized Black history curriculum in our public schools ensures that students of all races and backgrounds receive a more complete education that prepares them to be informed, engaged citizens and honors the extensive contributions of Black Americans in shaping our state and nation,' Sen. Tony Exum, a Colorado Springs Democrat who sponsored the bill, said in a statement celebrating its passage. The advisory committee will include experts on Black history and culture, teachers from rural and urban school districts, a librarian, curriculum specialists, community leaders, a parent in a public school parent organization and members of the Colorado Legislature, among others. The timeline for implementing the new standards aligns with the six-year cycle the State Board of Education already uses for revising academic standards. Education providers will have two years to implement the standards after they are developed. Polis has not yet taken action on the bill. House Bill 25-1135 requires school districts to adopt policies on the use of cell phones and other communication devices during the school day. The bipartisan bill does not impose a ban on student cell phone use but intends to reduce classroom distractions and requires all Colorado schools, including charter schools, to adopt their own policies by July 2026. 'Many teachers already work hard to limit phone use in class, but they need backup,' Sen. Janice Marchman, a Loveland Democrat who sponsored the bill, said in a statement. 'This new law gives local schools the support to set clear, consistent policies — so students can focus, learn, and take a real break from the pressures of constant connectivity.' The policies must also consider accommodations for students who need access to a phone for medical reasons. A 2023 advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General warns that social media use among young people is associated with poor mental health, especially among adolescent girls. Research also shows that cell phone use during instruction time has adverse effects on student learning. Polis signed the bill into law at the start of May. Senate Bill 25-63, dubbed the Freedom to Read Act, requires school districts to create policies about the 'acquisition, retention, display, reconsideration, and use' of library books and other materials by September. The measure intends to safeguard public school libraries from the growing trend that targets certain books, often about diverse topics or by diverse authors, for removal. 'This legislation creates a standard process to evaluate a book's inclusion or removal from a library, further shielding our public school libraries from D.C. culture wars and political fights,' Rep. Jenny Willford, a Northglenn Democrat who sponsored the bill, said in a statement. 'Schools are for learning, and our students deserve access to age-appropriate books that encourage them to think broadly and critically about the world.' District policies will need to consider when and why library materials can be removed, and outline a process for challenging and removing books from circulation. Only parents of students in the school district will be allowed to challenge books, and reviews of individual books will be limited to once every two years. In 2024, there were seven attempts to ban 137 books in public schools and libraries in Colorado, according to the American Library Association. The most challenged book in the country that year was 'All Boys Aren't Blue,' a memoir written for young adults by queer Black author George Johnson. Polis signed the bill into law at the start of May. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado AG joins other states to target Chinese app linked to international fentanyl trade
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser speaks in January 2024 at the Colorado Bar Association office in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) A version of this story originally appeared in the South Carolina Daily Gazette. Attorneys general from six states, including Colorado, say they're demanding accountability from WeChat, a Chinese messaging and payment platform being used by fentanyl traffickers. The bipartisan group is giving WeChat, what's become known as a super app, a month to detail what steps it's taking, if any, to combat its use as a money launderer for the international drug trade. I have worked tirelessly to address the opioid crisis by using every tool we can to save lives, including cracking down on the distribution of fentanyl,' Phil Weiser, the Democratic attorney general of Colorado, said in a statement. 'That's why I fought for legislation in Colorado, based on a report from our office, to ensure that online platforms have a greater responsibility to police their platforms and cooperate with law enforcement.' 'We need answers; we need them now,' Republican Alan Wilson, South Carolina's attorney general since 2011, said at a news conference Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Standing beside him was North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, a Democrat. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A letter dated Monday instructs WeChat to send answers by June 11 to the attorneys general in North Carolina and New Jersey, two states where 'knowingly facilitating, or aiding and abetting, money laundering' is a crime. 'WeChat's contribution to the devastating fentanyl crisis endangers the life and health of our people,' they wrote in the letter, also signed by attorneys general from Mississippi and New Hampshire. If WeChat fails to respond, lawsuits from the states' chief prosecutors could follow, as well as advocacy for laws and regulations, Wilson and Jakson said. WeChat is one of the world's most popular messaging apps with more than a billion users globally, including a million-plus in the United States. The app created by the company Tencent allows encrypted messaging and payments to be made within it — two features that have made it incredibly popular for criminal activity, according to prosecutors. The app has been linked to major drug operations. In October 2023, the Drug Enforcement Agency announced indictments against eight Chinese companies and 12 people in a bust dubbed Operation Chem Capture. They were accused of importing the chemicals used to make fentanyl — called fentanyl precursors — as well as other drugs such as xylazine that are mixed with fentanyl to increase cartels' profits. The multi-agency operation seized enough synthetic chemicals to make more than 48 million potentially lethal doses, the agency's administrator, Anne Milgram, said in a statement submitted to the U.S. House last May. 'Operation Chem Capture once again showed that these synthetic chemicals are cheap — a deadly dose costs mere cents — and sold online on public websites and through encrypted applications like WhatsApp, WeChat, and Wickr,' the statement read. Jackson illustrated a three-step process for how Chinese brokers and drug cartels use WeChat to partner for fentanyl dealing. Chinese companies sell the chemical ingredients to the cartels, who make the fentanyl. The drug is then smuggled into the country and sold for cash. In the final step, the cash is given to Chinese brokers who use WeChat to give the money back to the cartel, he said. 'We estimate that we are talking about billions of dollars per year,' Jackson said. The joint letter, which uses Jackson's letterhead, is addressed to 'whom it may concern' at WeChat's registered agent in Delaware. People 'are using the internet to evolve how they launder money, to evolve how they evade detection by law enforcement, to evolve how they promote this type of illicit activity,' Wilson said. 'So, we have to evolve with them.' Wilson told reporters the fentanyl epidemic is the top issue that keeps him up at night. In 2023, Weiser's office issued a report on social media and the sale of illegal drugs, including fentanyl. The report included several recommendations. For example, it called for new state legislation that would require social media companies to disclose their policies on drug activity and to be more transparent about their enforcement activities, more law enforcement resources, and a new federal agency to oversee social media platforms. In South Carolina, overdose deaths have soared from 613 in 2013 to 2,296 in 2022, according to the most recent statistics from the state Department of Public Health. That represents a near-quadrupling over that decade. Fentanyl accounted for more than 70% of those 2022 deaths, or 1,660 overdoses, representing a near-quadrupling over just five years, according to the 2024 report. 'Everybody knows someone, either personally or within one or two degrees of separation, where a family has lost a young person or someone has died as an overdose as a result of the illicit fentanyl trafficking going on in our respective states,' Wilson said. Last month, three men — two from Sumter and one from Georgia — were indicted in South Carolina in what federal prosecutors called one of the largest international, drug-related money laundering operations the Palmetto State's ever seen. They're accused by the U.S. Department of Justice of laundering more than $30 million in the trafficking of fentanyl and other drugs, as well as taking cash from two Mexican cartels and using it to purchase and ship electronics to Hong Kong, China and the United Arab Emirates to be sold for profit. WeChat played a crucial role in the alleged criminal dealings, Wilson's office noted in a news release Monday. 'WeChat has become a digital safe haven for fentanyl traffickers and money launderers, and they know it,' said Wilson. SC Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. SC Daily Gazette maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seanna Adcox for questions: info@ SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado Legislature approves measure to make family visitation a right for incarcerated people
Colorado state senators listen as Colorado Senate President James Coleman, a Denver Democrat, delivers opening remarks on the first day of the 2025 session of the Colorado Legislature on Jan. 8, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) Both chambers of the Colorado Legislature approved a bill that would give incarcerated people the right to see their families and community, ending the current policy under which visitation can be withheld as a form of punishment. Current Colorado Department of Corrections policy says 'inmate social visiting' is a privilege that can be 'approved, denied, suspended, or revoked' by the head of a facility. House Bill 25-1013 would still allow the department to 'adopt rules to govern the administration of social visitation,' but it cannot restrict visitation beyond 'what is necessary for routine facility operations' or safety purposes. In-person visits, phone calls and video visits would become a right that cannot be taken away as punishment for an incarcerated person's actions. The Colorado Senate gave final approval to an amended version of the bill Friday in a 22-12 vote along party lines, with Democrats in support of the measure. The House later voted 43-19 to accept the Senate's amendments, sending the bill to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' desk to be signed into law. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'Families are where we find strength, healing, and support. But for too many families, the criminal justice system creates barriers that fracture these bonds,' Senate President James Coleman, who sponsored the bill, said in a statement. 'Regular visits, phone calls, and moments of connection empower families to support their loved ones' journey toward rehabilitation. This bill helps to make our justice system a tool for repair and recovery, not a weapon of division.' Coleman sponsored the measure alongside fellow Denver Democrat House Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, as well as Rep. Regina English and Sen. Tony Exum, both Colorado Springs Democrats. Colorado bill would establish right to family visitation for incarcerated people All visitors and incarcerated people must still comply with department rules related to visitation. People in CDOC custody could file a grievance with the department if they are prevented from visitation under the requirements of the bill. Bill sponsors offered an amendment in the Senate on Thursday to make changes negotiated with CDOC, clarifying that the department can limit visitation for people confined in restrictive housing with certain high-level violations. CDOC will be able to limit visitation to comply with court orders related to victim safety and to prevent communication between co-defendants. The amendment also said the department will take 'reasonable measures' to increase access to telephone calls and non-contact visits for people in restrictive housing. Those in support of the measure have said it will help incarcerated people maintain relationships with loved ones and ensure they have a better chance of stability once they are released. 'Ensuring that people who are incarcerated have the right to connect with their loved ones makes all Coloradans safer,' Exum said in a statement. 'It reduces recidivism, supports rehabilitation, and eases the transition back into our communities after incarceration.' Democrats control strong majorities in both chambers of the Legislature. The 2025 legislative session ends on May 7. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The federal government should treat each human being with dignity and respect
Emilia Dawson chants at a rally at the Colorado Capitol in February. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) Across Colorado, leaders of faith communities across the religious spectrum have signed onto a statement called 'Truths About Immigration.' As a faith leader who serves at the First Baptist Church of Denver, I have signed in support of this statement not only because of what I know to be true about the message of my own Christian faith regarding immigrants — that they, we, are to be welcomed, cared for and loved — but also because of what I see from the office of that very church. Located directly across the street from the state Capitol, our building brings in more people Monday to Saturday than it does on a Sunday. The primary clientele that enter the building are, in fact, immigrants. These immigrants are not looking for places to hide, nor are they looking for a handout, nor are they looking for even a place to necessarily say a prayer. Rather, they're looking for a place that can help them fulfill their dreams. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Dreams, for example, of serving as an interpreter for the medical field for individuals who cannot speak a word of English yet require the same medical care that each of us does. Dreams of entering the United States legally, through the assistance of an immigration attorney. Dreams of starting a small business selling coffee on a street corner. Dreams of learning how to dance like their Colombian ancestors in order to keep their culture alive. The First Baptist Church of Denver houses and partners with organizations that can provide these dreams. Together with Spring Institute, Elevation Law, Coffee Time LLC, and the Latino Arts and Cultural Institute, our building is more than just a church, it is a place that walks alongside each individual to help them accomplish and reach their goals and dreams. Today, because of the seemingly indiscriminate actions of immigration enforcement, those dreams are on pause, because the people that were scheduled to receive these services are afraid to do so. Similarly, the people that were to provide those services — often immigrants themselves — are afraid to provide them. Our church doors are locked, and entering the building requires identification and a reason — the opposite of how a church should be. In the midst of an immigration process — or lack thereof — that is limited, complex, backlogged, and expensive, immigrants often turn to community resources such as churches to be able to accomplish their dreams. Even when those dreams are to immigrate to this country legally, immigrants are unable to achieve such a dream just because they are afraid to enter a church. I call on our national government to treat each human being with dignity and respect, and to allow for the due process that is a right given to each human being to be carried out. These rights are universal and do not adhere to borders or geopolitical relationships. These rights are inherent and inalienable. These rights are for each of us. These rights allow for a more just world and allow for an immigration process that is fair, efficient and effective. These rights are what solidify my faith and what grant us each life. I plead to you, our federal government: Please, let us as faith communities carry out the work we have been called to do, because it has been proven that you cannot do it with care or compassion. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
